


So Much For A Vacation, Huh?

by Trashy_Bunny



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec Lightwood Loves Magnus Bane, BAMF Alec Lightwood, BAMF Magnus Bane, Bottom Magnus Bane, But also everyone thinks Magnus Bane is hot, Dom/sub Undertones, How Do I Tag, M/M, Magnus Bane Is Quite Magical, Magnus Bane Loves Alec Lightwood, Thirsty Alec Lightwood, This Was Supposed To Be A One Shot, Top Alec Lightwood, Vacations gone wrong, also some jimon if you squint, because he is, demon hunting, it grew plot and ran away, they just wanted some peace and quiet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-02-10 02:06:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18650710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trashy_Bunny/pseuds/Trashy_Bunny
Summary: 15 dead mundanes, one dead vampire, and an unknown demon on a rampage with no witnesses, no information, and a bunch of exhausted resources.Now, they had only two options left.And both of them were on vacation somewhere on an unnamed island in the sun, far from the dank mess of New York City demon hunting.They could handle things just fine without them. They could figure this out, Jace was sure of it.Right?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this was supposed to be a one shot and it totally developed it's own plot and ran away. there will probably be one more chapter, maybe two more at most. It's rated mature for some sexual references and future violence. The alternate title to this is 'Everyone thinks Magnus Bane is hot'. Enjoy! :)

“We have to call Alec.”

Jace was shaking his head in response before Isabelle had even finished the sentence. That was not an option he wanted to entertain right now, no matter how desperate things looked. They had been chasing this demon for almost two days as it lay a path of wreckage through downtown New York. Multiple deaths had stacked up, all mundanes up until this morning, when a young vampire had been found dead and mutilated, just like all the other bodies. Luke had already been struggling to cover up each mundane deaths with the cops and to add a very angry Raphael Santiago to the mix had been the final straw that turned this whole mess into a full blown emergency. It was ‘ _Shadowhunters jobs to hunt demons_ ’, so ‘ _why the hell hadn’t they stopped it yet?_ ’. The clan leader’s words rang in Jace’s ears like they had just been spoken, bouncing around and tugging guilt and self blame out from the cracks and crevices of his mind.

They hadn’t found anything on the demon in any of the books they had. They had no clue what it looked like, where it came from, or what its name was. There wasn’t a single witness and none of the patrols over the past two nights had been able to track it farther than a block. After that, it seemed to just...vanish. Not a single trace left, not even a magical one that might suggest portalling. At least, not one that they could detect. Jace had spent the morning exhausting all their resources, going so far as to request access to some books in Idris that might help them begin to identify the demon.

A request that immediately got denied as the texts were deemed too ‘valuable’ to transfer to the Institute for even a few hours, let alone at the request of a Shadowhunter that wasn’t the Head of the Institute. Jace had crushed the fire message in his hand as soon as he had finished reading it, tossing it into the trash and storming his way to the ops center with the bad news. Clary and Izzy hadn’t seemed surprised by the decision but it had dampened everyone’s spirits regardless.

Now, they had only two options left.

And both of them were on vacation somewhere on an unnamed island in the sun, far from the dank mess of New York City demon hunting.

“Jace, I’m serious. We need them. Magnus might be able to better track the demon, or even identify it. And you know Alec can sway the Clave to give us those books for at least a little while.”

“Iz, I am not about to personally hand write my name in giant letters at the top of _Magnus Bane’s_ shitlist. If you think we need them, _you_ call Alec.” Jace looked up from the map he had been examining on the ops table, leveling a hard stare at his sister. Isabelle matched his gaze but made no move toward her phone. Jace gave her an ‘ _that’s what I thought’_ look and went back to the map showing all the demon attack locations.

“Clary?” Isabelle asked, a slight begging tone to her voice. Clary shook her head vehemently and crossed her arms.

“Nope. Alec hates me enough already.”

“He doesn’t _hate_ you.” Jace butt in, closing the map with a heavy sigh and straightening up. Clary rolled her eyes, looking irritated.

“Hate, dislike greatly, wish I never spoke again, what’s the difference?”

Jace shook his head. “He doesn’t hate you,” he repeated, feeling obligated to defend his grumpier sibling. “Alec just...likes very _few_ people. And tolerates the rest of them. You’re on the tolerable list. It’s nothing personal.”

Clary’s mouth fixed in a thin line. It seems Jace’s words had done nothing to make her feel better. “Whatever. I’m not calling him. You’re his parabatai, it’s your job.”

“She’s right.” Isabelle smirked at Jace, smug as she pushed her hair out of her face. Jace ran a hand through his own hair, annoyed, and gave another shake of his head.

“No. No, we can figure this out. There has to be another warlock we can ask or maybe, we can ask other Institutes if they’ve ever come across this pattern before.”

At that particular moment, Underhill approached the three at the table, looking apologetic.

“Boston, Los Angeles, and New Orleans all responded and they haven’t seen this demon before either. I also tried Paris, Madrid, and London. They’ve got nothing.” He flipped through something on the tablet in his hand and his frown deepened. “I even tried Idris again and got nothing. Lydia wasn’t able to offer any advice either and she can’t come consult due to some Clave meetings she has to attend.” He huffed and set his tablet on the ops table. “We can’t afford to let this go on any longer than necessary. Has anyone called Alec yet?”

The three of them stared at each other in stubborn silence. Underhill looked back and forth between them, brow furrowed. “I’ll take that as a no.”

“Alec is on vacation. We were given strict orders to only interrupt if _absolutely_ necessary.”

“Really? That doesn’t sound like Alec.”

“That would be because _that_ order came from Magnus.” Jace deadpanned, rubbing at his tired eyes and fingering his phone nervously in his pocket. He reached out with his mind, prodding lightly at his parabatai bond, and feeling the waves of _‘content’_ pulse softly from the other side. He groaned and leaned over the table again, pressing his forehead onto his forearms.

“Alec’s order was more like…’I’m going on a romantic vacation with my husband, if any of you ruin it for something less than the Institute burning down or one of you dying, I’ll banish you to Wrangel Island’...or something along those lines.” Isabelle offered Underhill a sardonic smile as the man visibly paled at her words.

“Right. Well. I’ll leave that to you then.” He spun on his heel to walk away when Jace reached out to snag his arm, standing up straight again.

“Wait, _you’re_ the Head of Security. You should call him.”

Underhill pulled his arm away, shaking his head firmly. “My job is to keep the Institute safe and decidedly not on fire. I’ve done my part.”

Jace was about to continue arguing when Raj approached the growing group, his face sour. “None of the warlock contacts we have are available, if you’d believe it. Some convention is going on? I honestly couldn’t get a clear answer from any of them. Either way, we’ve got no magic tracking or centuries of knowledge to pick through.” Raj looked just as exhausted as the rest of them, not even bothering to make a snide comment. Jace and Izzy shared a long look, communicating silently. Jace smirked after a moment and turned to Raj, who narrowed his eyes.

“What’s that look for, Herondale?”

“Raj, why don’t _you_ call Alec? He already hates you, so you can’t really do more damage.”

Raj’s eyes widened and he scoffed. “Not a chance, dude. I went to Wrangel Island once already and I’m not risking doing that shit again. I’ve been trying to get on Lightwood’s good side lately and it’s almost working.”

Isabelle arched a dark brow. “Almost?”

Raj crossed his arms, a sneer tugging at his lips but neglected to answer Isabelle’s question. The middle Lightwood smirked.

“Listen up, everyone!” Jace cupped his hands around his mouth to get the attention of the whole ops center. The Shadowhunters stopped what they were doing and turned to face him, conversations ceasing. “We are going to have to double up on patrols. No one has come across the demon yet but it’s only a matter of time and we cannot afford to be caught off guard. We don’t know what it looks like, what it’s weaknesses or strengths are, nothing. So be extra vigilant and call for backup if you see something tonight. Get your patrol assignments from Hightower. Dismissed!”

The Shadowhunters gave some affirmative nods before they went back to what they were doing before. Jace sighed heavily, pulling his phone out.

“Have we really tried everything? Did anyone ask Maryse? Hell, Robert?”

“Jace, just call your damn brother.” Clary snapped. Jace’s grip tightened on the phone.

“Clary, we have other options-”

“No, we don’t. And we’ve got another body. Cops declared it a serial killer. Luke said there wasn’t much he could do and they connected the dots.” Underhill piped up, scanning the message that had just appeared on his tablet. Jace cursed, Isabelle sighed and Clary threw her hands up in exasperation.

“Will somebody _please_ call Alec?” Raj begged, looking around the table. “Before we all end up on Wrangel Island?”

Nobody moved. Jace stared at the phone in his hand. After a few, long drawn out moments of silence, Clary reached across the table and snatched Jace’s phone from his hand.

“Fine! By the Angel, I’ll do it!”

“No, no, wait-” Jace reached out for the phone but his desperate begging was interrupted by the sound of a portal opening in the hallway. Across the room, a new transfer from the London Institute, Brightridge or something, looked apologetically at the shocked group standing at the ops table. Jace’s eyes darted to the phone in the other Shadowhunter’s hand and then immediately to the portal, knowing exactly who had just stepped out of it.

Alec and Magnus strolled casually into the Institute, a glimpse of sunshine and the beach disappearing as the portal snapped shut behind them.

“What’s the situation?” Alec’s familiar commanding tone rang loudly through the room and every Shadowhunter snapped to attention, all spinning to face the sudden arrival of their superior with a variation of shocked expressions.

Nobody answered Alec’s question. Instead, they all stared wide eyed at the pair that were making their way quickly toward the ops table, mouths hanging open almost comically.

Alec Lightwood, the stern, hardass, no nonsense Head of the New York Institute and notoriously uptight older brother to the Lightwood family was wearing designer sunglasses. And not just any designer sunglasses.

Perched on top of his head, in his messier than usual black hair, were a pair of sunglasses with a red stripe down the side and the word ‘Gucci’ in gold lettering. Water dripped onto his neck from his damp hair and the shirt he wore, a loose, green linen article with the sleeves rolled up past his elbows, looked like it had been tossed on hastily, with only the first few buttons done up and exposing much of his newly tanned skin and dark chest hair.

Isabelle, who was rarely shocked by anything, blinked owlishly, her brain struggling to process what she was seeing. Her brother, in a pair of _white_ knee length swim shorts and looking like he had just walked out of a vacation catalog? This was an image she couldn’t have conjured up no matter how hard she might have tried.

“Is anyone going to answer me?” Alec snapped, crossing his arms. He looked around at his siblings and fellow Shadowhunters, looking more impatient by the minute. “Brightridge? Care to explain yourself?”  He asked, turning his attention to the new Shadowhunter. He stammered, eyes focused off to Alec’s left side and cheeks flushed red.

“Wel, uh, sir, there’s been some demon attacks. 15 mundanes dead and one vampire. We have no idea what it is and haven’t been able to track it. Mundane police caught on, declared a serial killer.”

Alec nodded as the man talked, his eyes narrowing when he finally noticed that Brightridge hadn’t looked at him the whole time.

“Something else holding your attention, Brightridge?” Alec’s voice was challenging, the tone giving away that he knew _exactly_ what Brightridge was so distracted by and just wanted to hear the man admit it. The Shadowhunter flushed an even deeper red and his eyes shot quickly to the floor.

“Now, Alexander, don’t be so harsh on the poor boy.” Magnus finally spoke up, taking a sip of the Mai Tai in his hand. Up until this point, Jace had been fully distracted by his parabatai’s vacation outfit and irritated attitude and hadn’t even spared a glance at the warlock next to him.

He almost wished he hadn’t.

Magnus was completely shirtless, his dark brown skin on full display, necklaces dangling over his well built chest. The chains were a bright gold, delicate and matching perfectly to the sarong expertly wrapped around his waist. The sheer material did nothing to hide the tight floral swim shorts he wore, the edge of them ending at his upper thighs and fitting almost like a second skin. Jace tore his eyes away, feeling his cheeks heat up uncomfortably. Alec’s eyes suddenly shot to his, one hand going to hover over their shared rune with a confused look. After a moment, he quirked an eyebrow at Jace, his expression almost scandalized, and Jace immediately avoided his eyes and busied himself with something on the ops table in front of him. Magnus struggled to hide a smirk as he watched the exchange, taking another sip of his drink and twirling the small decorative umbrella around in the glass. He glanced around the room in amusement, noting the amount of eyes focused on him. Even Isabelle looked a little struck, doing her best to be discreet as she glanced at his chest. He winked at her and she ducked her head with a sheepish smile, a very unfamiliar expression to see on her ever confident face. Something about the look Magnus gave her made her feel like a kid getting caught doing something they weren’t supposed to be doing. It was times like this that she remembered just how old he really was. And yet, if Alec hadn't taken his chance with the warlock, Isabelle was certain she would have. No one could deny that Magnus Bane was attractive, bordering on otherworldly at times with his sharp features and ageless eyes.

Alec’s eyes scanned the room, realizing just how little of the Shadowhunters’ attention he held now that they had caught sight of his husband. _He couldn’t really blame them_ , he thought, glancing at the warlock next to him.

Magnus’ wet hair shimmered in the lights of the ops center, his usual spiked updo traded for something more relaxed, dark strands falling on his forehead. His makeup was less than subdued, dark red eyeshadow matched perfectly to his outfit blended over his eyelids and gold glitter adorning his cheekbones. He was distracting in all the right ways for all the wrong people. Something unfamiliar simmered under Alec’s skin and when he spoke again, his voice was tight.

“Magnus, could you…?” He trailed off, gesturing to his husband's body. Magnus only raised his brows and took another drink.

“Could I…?” He asked, teasing Alec with a glint in his eyes. Alec’s eyes darkened. Magnus licked his lips and struggled to hide a smirk and maintain his innocent expression. Alec knew everyone’s eyes were focused on them but that didn’t stop him from placing a firm hand on Magnus’ lower back and leaning closer to speak to him, his breath fanning over Magnus’ ear and

“ _Magnus_...could you put something else on?” Alec’s tone left no room for argument, the question a poorly veiled command. The way he said Magnus’ name had a shiver running down the warlock’s spine, his skin tingling where Alec was touching him.

Magnus was, by no means, a man who took kindly to being told what to do. But with Alec, it was different.

Alec was always different.

“Well, since you asked so nicely, Alexander.” Magnus licked his lips again, his brown eyes predatory as a composed smirk tugged at the edges of his lips. Alec struggled to hide an satisfied smile. He’d always been a quick learner and that fact had been no different when it came to his relationship with Magnus. He had quickly found out what buttons to push to unravel the man, with Magnus dropping not so subtle hints here and there. It took a while to work up the confidence to push said buttons but once Alec had seen Magnus’ reaction, the way his breath would quicken when Alec picked him up, the noises he made when being restrained-

Alec cut his own thoughts off with a slight shake of his head. Not the time or the place, no matter the fact that Magnus was looking at him like he was something to eat. Alec broke away from his intense gaze, turning his eyes to the outfit Magnus had changed into.

A button up similar to Alec’s now covered the warlock’s bare chest and longer shorts had replaced his swimwear, his sarong having disappeared presumably back to their hotel room. Alec’s hand slid from Magnus lower back around to his hip, pulling the man closer to his side with a small smile. Magnus hummed contentedly, taking another drink of his Mai Tai and magically refilling it when he drained the last few drops. Alec turned his attention back to the room.

“Now that Jace can stop projecting his confused feelings about his sexuality through our bond and Brightridge can stop ogling long enough to form full sentences, can we move forward here? I have a vacation to get back to.” Alec fixed a bored expression on his face, feeling a little too delighted at the way the newer Shadowhunter’s cheeks flamed and the way Jace’s eyes widened. Serves him right, really. Alec had endured years of teasing from his brother. A little payback wouldn’t hurt. It might even help, with the way Jace had been looking at that mundane turned vampire guy lately. _Sherman? Steven?_ Alec couldn’t remember.

“I heard we have a demon tracking problem?” Magnus asked, when yet again the room remained silent following his husband's question. He stepped away from Alec, strolling around the main ops table to stand next to Isabelle. He looked over the map that was up in silence for a moment. He banished his drink away and swiped across the table, enlarging a portion of the map.

“Is this the location of the last attack?”

Isabelle nodded. “The most recent. Another mundane. It was reported about five minutes ago from Luke. He said the attack was determined to have occurred roughly an hour ago. Around 8 PM.”

Magnus nodded as she spoke. “Let’s hope so. An hour is already quite the head start. Can you pull up some photos of the bodies?”

Isabelle turned around to look at Brightridge, who was fiddling with his stele, spinning it around in his fingers. “You still have those up on your screen?”

His head snapped up, looking confused and like a deer caught in the headlights. “Huh?”

Isabelle rolled her eyes. “The crime scene photos I sent you. Of the injuries. Do you still have the file open?”

The man spun back to the computer and tapped a few keys. “Uh...just give me a second...um.” He tapped another key and they popped up on the screen. He spun back around and squeaked in surprise. Magnus was standing in front of him, only a foot or so away. His cheeks flushed red again. “Mr. Bane!”

Magnus smiled kindly. “That's Lightwood-Bane, darling, but Magnus is fine. You wouldn’t happen to have a first name either, hm? Brightridge is a bit of a mouthful.”

“Uh, H-Henry. I’m Henry.”

Magnus gestured to the screens. “Well, Henry. Care to show me those photos?”

The Shadowhunter nodded jerkily and turned back to the screens. Magnus began swiping through photos, occasionally sharing words with Brightridge that the man noted down on some paper nearby and zooming closer to examine the injuries.

Back by the ops table, Alec huffed and crossed his arms, watching the two work. Isabelle turned to him with a raised brow. “Really?”

Alec only glared.

“Alec, see if you can make sense of this. I’ve been staring at it for hours and I’ve got nothing.” Jace gestured to another screen he had turned his attention to. The demon attacks were traced, sporadic lines criss crossing over one another to show it’s path.

Alec approached his brother, his brow furrowed as he took in the information on the screen. “Is there anything similar with the victims?”

Jace shook his head. “No connection we’ve found so far. And the locations seem entirely random. We don’t understand how it’s traveling so fast, let alone where it’s going next. Seriously, I can’t make heads or tails of this.” He gestured at the screen with a scoff. Alec tapped the area of the first attack, eyes scanning for something. He moved to the next location, eyes narrowing slightly. He followed the demon’s path, murmuring something under his breath that Jace didn’t quite catch. Before he could ask, Alec spun around.

“Magnus, is there a limit to how far someone or something can portal?”

Magnus abruptly stopped whatever he had been saying to Brightridge and turned his attention to Alec, face thoughtful.

“Not necessarily. The power lies in conjuring the portal. It’s not harder or easier because of the location of point B. Of course, portals can still only be made to places one has been before.”

Alec drummed his fingers on his bicep, glancing back at the map. “The demon only travels ten miles each time. And as far as we can tell, it kills whoever happens to be in that immediate vicinity at that exact time. Yet, we have no witnesses. What are the chances it portals to a location where only one individual is? In _New York_?”

Magnus gestured Alec over, pointing to one of the corpse’s photos as the man approached.

“See this? Chest wound.” He scrolled to the next photo, which showed the exact same injury. And the next. “All fifteen mundanes have the same wounds. The vampire, however…” Magnus tapped a few buttons and pulled the photo up for comparison. Alec cursed, recognizing the woman as a fledgling vampire they had recently helped direct toward joining Raphael’s clan. She’d been kind, a little confused and apprehensive, but still hopeful for life. Alec watched Magnus’ eyes dim slightly, lips thin. He rested a hand on the man’s back, rubbing in small circles. Magnus tossed him an appreciative, albeit weak, smile and cleared his throat. “Her wounds are entirely random. Just meant...to kill. The others, their deaths are identical. One single chest wound.”

Alec shook his head. “I don’t understand. This isn’t like any demon I’ve ever heard of. Portaling? Targeting one individual at a time rather than a mass attack? It’s almost like it’s sentient, making deliberate decisions. Not a Greater Demon, do you think?”

“Without examining an energy signature, I couldn’t say for certain. But I don’t think so. In fact…” He turned toward the rest of the room, addressing Jace, Izzy, and Clary mainly. “What has you all so convinced it’s a demon at all?”

The three Shadowhunters shared a look and Clary shrugged. “Well, the wounds mostly. And all the tests Izzy ran showed traces of ichor and no evidence to suggest something other than a demon.”

Isabelle nodded. “I found it at the center of every wound.”

Magnus chewed his bottom lip and looked over at Alec, a worried shadow in his eyes that had Alec stepping closer. “What is it?”

Magnus wrapped his arms around himself, looking slightly uncomfortable. “I think I know who it is. And you aren’t going to like it.”

“Wait, _who_ it is? Not what?”

Magnus shook his head and moved past Alec, approaching the ops table again. “Can you pull up the file on Emil Whitmore? I believe that’s the last name he had picked up...”

Isabelle nodded, moving toward a nearby monitor and scanning through the Clave’s identity files. Jace gave Clary a look, mouthing _‘Emil?’_  with a distasteful turn of his lips. Clary rolled her eyes.

“Who is this guy? And why do you think he is responsible?” Alec moved to stand by Magnus again, waiting for Izzy to pull the file up.

“Emil was banished by myself about 20 years back. He meddled in demon conjuring one too many times and I was tired of cleaning up his messes and watching the body count pile up when he couldn’t contain the demons he summoned. He also took a liking to experimenting with demon ichor and withdrawing the life forces from other beings.”

Clary frowned. “Life forces? Like, souls?”

Magnus shook his head, clasping his hands together. His fingers looked odd when they were so bare of jewelry. “No, more like...mortality. Power. Mundanes, Downworlders, and Shadowhunters, they all have different types of life force. Obviously, Downworlders have demon blood and often, immortality or at the very least, an extended life outside of the normal mundane. Shadowhunters are more similar to mundanes. As far as harvesting your life force for added _oomph_ , you’re quite useless. Angel blood really doesn’t benefit you outside of your runes and ability to use them. So it means even less to someone, especially a warlock, seelie, or demon which are the only options capable of this, when they could just as easily harvest the same amount of life from a mundane, who would put up far less of a fight.”

With each word, the group just looked more confused. Even Alec seemed to be struggling to follow along. Magnus sighed and shook his head again, expression pinched. “This is far beyond typical magic, I’m not shocked you haven’t heard of it. Nobody outside of the occasional loose Greater Demon has any reason to  harvest someone’s life force. And really, Greater Demons only go after warlocks or seelies for their powers. But Emil is already an immortal warlock. My best guess, since he is using mundanes, is that the life force is for someone else. And he is too much of a coward to go after someone more powerful. Not that his intentions matter after this much damage.”

“There isn’t a location in his file. No address or really, any useful information. You sure this is the guy?”

Magnus approached the screen Isabelle stood at and Alec followed close behind.

The photo of the screen showed a young man, all black curly hair, dark skin, and bright green eyes. He had no discernible warlock mark and his file had none noted. He was rather attractive, if not a little cold looking. Magnus’ frown deepened.

“Do you have any of the corpses here? Or could you obtain the most recent one? I might be able to get a trace. He obviously isn’t using his magic for these attacks, or if he is, he has hid it from you all fairly well. Luckily, I’m over 400 years old and taught him many of his tricks. He’s a clever warlock but his power was always far from refined. And no match for mine. He was a fool to even step foot back in my city.” Magnus’ posture had gone stiff, his expression stony as he stared down the screen. Alec placed a hand on his arm.

“We can’t get the newest body, with the police on high alert. But we have the previous mundane killed.” Isabelle gestured toward the elevator at the end of the hall. “In the morgue, if you want to take a crack at tracing him.”

Magnus only nodded in response and turned toward the hallway. He disappeared in the elevator a few moments later. Alec groaned internally and scrubbed at his face. “So much for a vacation.” He muttered. He sighed and looked around the room. “Alright, listen up. Change of plans. I want patrols spread out as much as possible. We are no longer looking for a demon but a warlock on a mission. We need ground covered but don’t do anything stupid or try to be a hero. This guy obviously has no qualms killing those in his way and I don’t need any more corpses showing up. Is that clear?”

There was a murmur of ‘yes, sirs’ throughout the room and nodding heads. Alec nodded firmly, turning to his siblings and Clary. “If Magnus gets a trace on this guy, I need you suited up. Magnus will try to do this alone. I know that look in his eyes. There’s some history he isn’t telling me and when it comes to warlocks in this city, he always feels responsible for their actions.” Alec paused and looked like he was going to say more when the elevator dinged down the hall. Magnus stepped out and made his way over, his stride determined.

“I have a location. I’ll be able to track where he goes now, portal or not. He was never good at concealment magic. From mundanes and Shadowhunters, sure. But other warlocks? Especially me?” Magnus shook his head with a wry smile.

“We’ll get suited up and head out with you.” Alec said. Magnus, just as Alec predicted, shook his head.

“Alexander, I assure you-”

“That you can do this alone, yeah. I know. But we’d like to help.”

“Speak for yourself.” Jace muttered. Isabelle jabbed him in the side with her elbow and he yelped, looking offended. She stuck her tongue out. Alec ignored them.

“Emil hates Shadowhunters. And he’ll probably like _you_ even less.” Magnus grimaced, avoiding Alec’s eyes and glancing at the screen again. Alec reached out, pulling Magnus closer by his biceps. He waited until the man met his eyes before he spoke.

“Ex or not, I don’t care. Really. And you aren’t obligated to tell me anything you don’t want to.”

Magnus smiled ruefully and reached up to lay a hand on Alec’s cheek. “You’re very sweet, Alexander. But Emil isn’t my ex.” Alec’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“Then what-”

“He’s my younger brother.”


	2. Chapter 2

“I’m sorry, your what?” Alec asked, cocking his head, his eyebrows furrowing. Last Magnus had told him, Asmodeus had killed all of his other children, deeming them disappointments and stealing their life force from them to further fuel his own power. Alec remembered the conversation vividly, because when Magnus had told him his first thought had been for the man’s safety, something the warlock had waved away with a dismissive and vague comment.

_ Asmodeus is no threat to me, Alexander. He and I both know that. _

“I thought you said all your siblings were-” Alec began to continue but Magnus cut him off, shaking his head.

“Not Emil. But honestly, I hadn’t even thought about him at the time of our conversation and by the time I had, it didn’t seem important. He has been banished from New York for some time and has probably disowned me just as I did him. But yes, as far as I know, he is Asmodeus’ youngest and only other remaining child.”

“Just how  _ young  _ is this warlock? Asmodeus has been banished for years, according to you.” Jace’s voice was bordering on accusatory as he jumped into the conversation, drawing the gaze of both Magnus and Alec. Alec shot him a warning look, which Jace blatantly ignored. Magnus crossed his arms, expression steely as he faced the blonde Shadowhunter. Even in a mere linen button up and shorts fit for the beach, he was an imposing figure.

“Asmodeus  _ was  _ banished, quite thoroughly I might add, back to Edom 250 years ago after he was released by some foolish warlock looking to harness more power. Sadly, there was another unfortunate incident about 120 years back that allowed him free for the better part of a year. I took care of it as soon as I realized, but not before he got his hands on a mundane. I didn’t find out about his…revolting actions until much later.” Magnus paused, lip twitching in disgust. “Emil ended up on my radar when he was 30, I didn’t find out about his bloodline until he was 50 and he showed up on my doorstep five years after that. For over 45 years, I trained him, housed him, and cleaned up his messes in hopes that he would better himself. He didn’t. So, twenty years ago, I threw him out of my home and my city.” Magnus’ leveled Jace with a forcibly polite smile, one Alec recognized as the look his husband typically reserved for clients that were getting on his last nerve. Too much teeth and thin lipped. “So don’t you worry your little head, Blondie. Asmodeus is firmly in Edom where he belongs. Your kind never even knew he was here.” Magnus paused again, waiting for Jace to meet his eyes. When the man did, Magnus grin only widened. “ _ You’re welcome _ .” 

Jace set his jaw, turning away toward the computer screens behind him. Alec felt a tinge of shame seep through their bond and sighed, turning his attention back to Magnus. The warlock was fuming silently, his body rigid and eyes fixed on the photo of Emil. Even Alec felt a pang of guilt, realizing he had never thought about just how many things Magnus must have taken care of in this city, far before those things ever gained the attention of Shadowhunters. Seeing him now, his eyes flickering back and forth between Emil’s photo and the pictures of the dead mundanes still up on Brightridge’s screen, only reaffirmed what Alec had come to know about Magnus. He cared for everyone in this city, Downworlder, angel blooded and mundane alike. And an attack like this, coming from a warlock he knew, his  _ brother _ no less, was a personal blow. Alec could see it in his eyes.

“This isn’t your fault, you know.” Alec murmured, reaching for the warlock’s elbow, aching to pull him closer. Magnus only gave him a half hearted smile, looking away from the screen for a moment.

“Perhaps not, Alexander, but one cannot deny my actions had a hand in this behavior. It’s a direct attack on my city, on New York, the very place  _ I  _ banished him from.” 

“Still. You don’t have to do this alone.”

“I’d much prefer to deal with Emil myself. The Clave will have no hand in this. It’s warlock business.” Magnus’ voice left no room for argument and he turned away, raising his hand to open a portal. Alec reached out again, catching his arm. 

“Okay. No Clave. But please. At least let me come.”

Magnus gaze softened, as it always did when it came to Alec, and he lowered his hand. “If you insist, Alexander.” He cast a wary gaze back at the other three Shadowhunters that frequented his company. “However, showing up with the whole brigade is a bit much if we want Emil to even give us the time of day.”

Alec nodded. “Understood. Just us then.”

Magnus raised his hand again, hesitating when he caught sight of Alec’s uncomfortable expression. “Yes…?” He asked, waiting patiently.

“It’s just, can we...change first?” Alec glanced down at his clothing, pursing his lips. Magnus grin turned mischievious and he toyed with Alec’s collar, dragging his fingers lightly down the exposed line of his chest, blue painted nails curling into the man’s chest hair. 

“ _ Magnus _ .” Alec grumbled, looking around, both uncomfortable and pleased at the same time, a flush rising in his cheeks. Magnus laughed and pulled away, waving Alec away.

“Alright, alright. But make it quick, Shadowhunter.” 

Alec pecked him on the cheek and without another word, disappeared down the hallway to his room.

 

*********************************************************

 

“Your brother lives in...a mausoleum?” The two had portaled in just outside a small cemetery on the outskirts of Manhattan, and Alec had remained silent and on alert as he followed his husband through the headstones, trusting he knew where he was leading them. They had come to a stop in front of a large, unremarkable looking mausoleum after a few minutes of walking and Alec’s hand tightened on the handle of his sheathed seraph blade.

“Not necessarily. This is just where the trace of him I picked up has lead us. However, if I know Emil…” Magnus trailed off, waving his hand through the air and murmuring something in Latin under his breath. The mausoleum shifted, it’s image shimmering and revealing a small, cozy stone cottage in its place. Alec squinted.

“How-”

“For all your sight and runes, darling, there are just some glamours you simply can’t look through. Sometimes, it takes a little more...finesse.” Magnus winked, tossing blue sparks into the air with his hand. Alec returned his smile and moved to stand by him, still in a defensive stance as they approached the cottage door. Magnus straightened his jacket and raised his hand to knock, when Alec caught his elbow.

“Um, what are you doing?”

Magnus arched a brow. “I’m knocking, Alexander. It’s generally considered the polite thing to do when you want to enter someone’s house. Not that you Shadowhunters seemed to have ever learned that.” Magnus said pointedly, thinking back to all the times his loft had been stormed by unruly and demanding Nephilim.

“Magnus, he murdered over 15 people!”

“Alexander, I am not going to storm in there-”

“He is dangerous, and you want to alert him-”

“He is my brother, a fellow warlock and I want to hear his side of the story!” Magnus snapped, pulling his arm from Alec’s grip with a glare.

“His side of the story is laying in the morgue! That’s a pretty clear explanation, if you ask me!” Alec retorted, gesturing vaguely in the direction of the Institute.

“Oh for Lilith’s sake, will you two shut up already?”

A new voice cut through their bickering, causing both men’s heads to snap toward the cottage door where a young man who Alec recognized to be Emil was leaning. Alec’s hand quickly moved to the handle of his seraph blade, his eyes focused solely on the other warlock, watching for any offensive movement.

Deep gold stared back, the hatred in those familiar eyes catching him off guard. It was his worst fear come to life and for a moment, he could only see Magnus standing there, glaring at him like he meant  _ nothing _ . It was only when Alec heard his husband's voice next to him that he shook the thought from his mind, focusing back to the present. The man in front of him was most definitely not Magnus, despite his matching warlock mark. He was tall but thin as a reed, long arms folded across his chest and covered in swirling tattoos, his skin a shade darker than Magnus’ own. His dark coiled hair fell almost to his shoulders, and his teeth were just a touch too sharp when he grinned at the both of them. The wild energy coming off him was almost palpable and Alec moved a step closer to Magnus, partially shielding him.

“Emil.” Magnus said coolly, placing a comforting hand on Alec’s lower back. “Fancy seeing you here.” The inclination in his voice had the smile dropping off of his brother’s face, his defensive posture tightening.

“Drop the act, Magnus. We both know why you’re here and we both know I shouldn’t be. Clearly, neither of us are in a good position, yes?”

Magnus gaze hardened and he stepped around Alec, ignoring the Shadowhunter's alarmed look. “You’ve been up to no good, Emil. Again. In a city I already banished you from. If you had something you wanted to say to me, a visit or a fire message would have sufficed. 16 dead bodies seems a little tedious in comparison, don’t you think?”

“Whatever you and your Nephilim pet are here to do, brother, I’d suggest rethinking it. I’m in no mood to talk.” Emil’s cold golden eyes swept over Alec again. The man itched to reach for his glamoured bow and quiver, instinctual apprehension tingling across his skin. 

“So we won’t talk. Don’t make this any harder than it has to be, Emil. I’m already doing what I can to keep you from going to the Gard. If you come quietly, I can ensure you a fair trial in the Spiral Labyrinth.” Magnus raised his eyebrows, holding his hands palm up as he awaited the other warlock’s answer. 

Emil made no movement, his eyes not wavering from Magnus face. He behaved as if he hadn’t heard the man at all, in fact. If Alec hadn’t been focused on watching him so closely, looking for any reaction at all, he wouldn’t have noticed the slight twitch of Emil’s fingers that immediately sent a bright orange arc of magic slashing through the air toward him. 

Alec was jumping backward just as Magnus threw his hands up, shimmering blue magic blocking the attack that sliced through the air in front of them. Alec exhaled sharply, his mind catching up to what had just happened and quickly registering the fact that the orange arc of magic had only been aimed at  _ him. _

Emil’s eyes remained laser focused on his brother. He didn’t even acknowledge Alec as the Shadowhunter’s bow appeared in his hands, an arrow nocked and ready a moment later.

No one spoke for a moment, the shimmering blue still surrounding Alec even as Magnus lowered his hands, flexing his fingers and glowering. He’d long since dropped his glamour and the two pairs of golden cat eyes warred, each daring the other to break and look away. Neither man moved an inch until Alec saw Emil’s lip twitch in irritation. He spoke, still staring his brother down.

“I didn’t kill anyone.”

“And that stunt was supposed to convince me  _ how _ ?” Magnus tilted his chin up, magic still swirling in the palms of his hands as they hung by his side. Emil scoffed.

“Your affection for this  _ Shadowhunter _ is sickening. Tell me, does your pretty little  _ Lightwood  _ know who put that seraph blade through your chest? Surely he’s seen the scars.” Emil’s smile was back, and it dripped with smug satisfaction as Alec shot a shocked look of concern in Magnus' direction. “Oh? Judging by that reaction, perhaps I’m mistaken. Did you glamour them away so vainly like you do all of your imperfections? Should I enlighten him, brother?” Emil purred, dragging his eyes over to Alec for just a moment.

Magnus’ magic wove dangerously through his fingers. He didn’t spare Alec a glance, not wanting to give his brother any more gratification. “We aren’t here to open old wounds, Emil.”

“You know damn well that’s what you’re here to do!” The man took a step toward Magnus and Alec moved, silently thankful he’d activated his speed rune earlier, placing himself instantly between the two warlocks. The tip of his arrow was a foot from Emil’s face and he stared down the line of it, gaze challenging. Emil quirked a brow.

“Bravery and stupidity share the same vein, it seems. I’d suggest you move, Nephilim.”

Alec didn’t answer, his aim staying strong as Magnus stepped slightly out from behind him, attracting his brother’s gaze again. The two men fell into another staring match, tension mounting in the air along with the suffocating feel of foreign magic that surrounded Alec, making his head throb painfully. His arm was twitching, shaking from holding his bow at full draw despite his strength rune. He shot a sideways glance at Magnus, who gave a slight nod. Alec relaxed, just enough to ease the overexertion of his muscles, but refused to lower his bow completely. 

“Your signature is all over the bodies, Emil. Stinking of demon ichor and harvesting magic.” Magnus’ pupils narrowed, forming thin slits in the midst of his golden eyes despite the darkness of the graveyard they stood in.

Emil sneered. “I haven’t used that kind of magic since you kicked me to the streets!”

“You gave me no choice! You meddled in far too many things beyond your control and I couldn’t let your recklesses continue to kill innocent people, you  _ foolish boy! _ ” Magnus lashed, the words rolling sharp off his tongue, full of disgust and disappointment. Emil physically recoiled, dropping his gaze to the ground with a twitching jaw, his teeth clenched as he broke their matched gaze. 

“You of all people know I paid dearly for my mistakes, Magnus. Why would I make them again?” His voice had dropped, so low that Alec almost didn’t hear him. Magnus stepped away from Alec again, moving close enough to tip his brother’s chin up with two fingers. Emil barely met his gaze.

“I told you I was not here to open old wounds, Emil. But you don’t have my trust, nor my faith. There are fifteen dead mundanes and one dead vampire and I need  _ answers. _ Either give them to me or I’ll be forced to take them.” Red tendrils flowed from Magnus’ fingers, trailing up the edge of Emil’s jaw toward his temples. Magnus expression softened, desperation lining the next words out of his mouth.  “Don’t make me do that,  _ adik laki-laki _ .” Alec held his breath as Emil’s eyes slid closed a moment later, tension easing from his body.

“Look if you must. I have nothing to hide.” He murmured the words just before his body tensed again, his head jerking backward as a sharp gasp fell from his lips. Magnus closed his eyes, the slope of his shoulders stiff as he picked through his brother’s memories, being as thorough as he was gentle. It was never enough, of course, this kind of manipulation wasn’t meant to be done on anyone’s mind and very few warlocks were capable of it at all. The very act made Magnus’ skin crawl, as if he could feel Asmodeus’ influence from the depths of Edom with each memory he picked through, reminding him of where,  _ who _ , he came from. 

Magnus jerked his hand away from Emil’s face the moment he was finished, catching his brother as his knees buckled beneath him. He steadied the other man until he was fully aware again, the glassy look in his eyes fading gradually. Magnus turned to look at Alec, clearly upset despite the strong set of his jaw as he shook his head. Emil pulled away from Magnus as soon as he was able, crossing his tattooed arms over his chest defensively.

“I told you. I didn’t kill anyone.” The words were meant to be strong, Alec could tell by the determined look in Emil’s eyes, but his voice wavered, still unsettled by the phantom feeling of magic sifting through his thoughts, regardless of the fact that it was the magic of his kin.

“No, but somebody did and they’re trying to pin it on you. Because of that, we need your help. It must be someone with a grudge. Against one of us. Someone who knows our history.” Magnus folded his hands in front of him, a frown creasing his forehead. “Please, come with me to the loft. Help me find who’s responsible. And I’ll forgive you for breaking your exile.”

Emil looked at him for a long moment before his eyes cut to Alec, who had been quietly watching the exchange, his weapon lowered.

“Will you allow me to stay in New York?”

Magnus nodded. “So long as you continue to refrain from your old habits.”

“And the Nephilim? You’ll keep your pet in check, yes? I don’t fancy earning myself any adamas scars, Magnus. We’re similar enough as it is without them.”

Magnus swallowed harshly as Alec cast him another confused and concerned look.

“Alexander won’t hurt you. And that information stays between us. Is that clear?” His tone was sharp, the underlying threat evident. Emil just smiled, the smug, dangerous smirk from before back on his face as he met Alec’s eyes.

“Crystal.”


	3. Chapter 3

The instant they stepped out of the portal and into the loft, Magnus beelined for his drink cart, while Emil put as much distance between himself and Alec as possible, drifting to the far side of the room near the balcony doors. Alec ignored his apprehensive gaze and moved to hover near Magnus, watching with a frown as the warlock’s hands trembled as he poured himself a drink. 

“Whatever it is, you know you don’t have to tell me.” Alec murmured, hesitantly laying a hand on the man’s lower back. Magnus hummed absentmindedly, taking a sip of the amber liquid and crossing his arms across his chest, cradling the glass close in a defensive pose Alec recognized with a frown. Magnus didn’t say anything, eyes unfocused as he stared off into the distance. Alec reached out, gentle fingers trailing along his jaw. “Magnus, hey. Look at me.”

Magnus startled, so slightly that Alec wasn’t sure he’d have caught it had he not been touching the man and felt his muscles jump as Magnus was pulled from his thoughts. The warlock blinked a few times before he turned his gaze to Alec with a soft sigh, eyes once again glamoured to a warm brown and a forced smile pulling at the edges of his lips. “Alexander, please. I’m quite alright. Let’s just...get whatever this is over with before anyone else gets hurt. Yes?” With that, Magnus patted Alec’s chest and spun around, effectively ending the discussion and brushing off his concern all in the same moment. Alec let his hand drop back to his side with a frustrated grimace as Magnus strolled over to his armchair and folded himself down into it, his face a mask of perfect geniality. Alec stayed where he was, crossing his arms and glancing at Emil again. 

The warlock smirked back, unglamoured eyes meeting Alec's in open challenge. Alec arched a brow pointedly, as if daring him to try anything. Magnus looked between the two of them, disapproval clear in his eyes. A tense beat of silence passed before Magnus cleared his throat. Alec didn't even flinch, dark eyes staying focused on the younger warlock, who was now staring at Magnus with a slight frown. Magnus smiled politely, lips thin.

“Emil. Can you think of anyone who knows about our shared parental figure? Or better yet, anyone who has any reason whatsoever to frame you for this? Perhaps a scorned ex?" 

Emil shrugged, crossing his arms and leaning on his shoulder against the wall beside him. Alec watched every move carefully, still on edge after the stunt he’d pulled earlier in the night. "No one in particular comes to mind. A few fellow warlocks know of my parentage but I can’t say I ever spoke of you. And scorned exes? Those are more your thing, aren't they?" The corner of his mouth ticked up in a smirk. Alec ground his teeth together, jaw twitching and fingers digging into his arm as he fought to keep his temper in check. He’d come a long way since he first met Magnus, had made peace with himself and discovered that, once he wasn’t constantly trying to convince everyone he was worthy or spending all his time trying to reign in the wildly irrational actions of his peers, he actually had a modicum of patience.

A modicum. 

But when it came to his family, when it came to  _ Magnus _ ? Alec had no qualms putting someone down, Shadowhunter, Downworlder, mundane or demon. The Lightwood blood, his mother had once told him, runs hotter than demon ichor and is quicker to ignite than heavenly fire. Hence, he supposed, the reason for the flames decorating the family coat of arms.

And something about Emil had Alec pissed off and itching for a fight. It wasn’t his smug self righteous attitude, Alec dealt with that every time he spoke to a member of the Clave, nor was it his blatant hate for Alec and willingness to attack him without any provocation. 

Regardless of the reason, Alec restrained himself. The warlock was innocent until proven guilty and Magnus’ brother. He would not make the same mistake he had made with Raphael. 

Magnus fingers drummed thoughtfully against the cup in his hand, rings clinking lightly on the glass and disrupting Alec’s internal battle with his anger. He didn't spare his half brother even a glance as he spoke, looking fairly unperturbed by the comment. "Even so, I'm not the one who was traced back to dead bodies reeking of harvesting magic."

Emil scoffed. “So you keep reminding me. Don’t you think if I knew who had done this that I’d have taken care of it myself? What makes you think I’d purposefully draw your attention to me?”

“You act as if you don’t enjoy tossing my own mistakes in my face.” Magnus sipped his scotch thoughtfully. Emil’s expression turned from irritated to loathsome in seconds.

“Is that what I am to you? A mistake? Another poor orphaned Downworlder in need of saving? One that you failed to control and mold into a model citizen so you threw me out like trash, unable to handle anyone tarnishing the reputation of the  _ great  _ Magnus Bane!”

Magnus stayed quiet while Emil ranted, nothing but an expression of resigned calm settled across his face. Alec seethed, blood roaring in his ears. He bit his tongue, waiting for Magnus to speak up, to defend himself like Alec had seen him do many times before.

He didn’t.

“You’re selfish and you’re a liar, Magnus. You lie about where you come from, what you’ve done, you lie about  _ everything _ . I bet ‘angel blood’ over there doesn’t know the half of it. For Lilith’s sake, you won’t even tell him that those scars come from-”

“ _ Enough. _ ” Alec snarled, taking a warning step in Emil’s direction. Magic instantly flared around the warlock’s hands as gold cat eyes cut to his, foreign hate swirling in them.

“Alexander, please-” Magnus asked, setting his glass aside and standing, strategically placing himself between the other two men. He placed a hand on Alec’s arm, whether to comfort him or possibly restrain him, he wasn’t sure.

“Magnus, you can’t seriously just expect me to quietly stand by,” Alec said, sparing him an apologetically exasperated glance, “while someone who  _ clearly _ knows nothing about you verbally abuses you in our home.”

“You gonna hurt me, Shadowhunter?” Emil grinned, looking borderline excited at the prospect. His tattoos and magic danced together along his arms, orange and black contrasting on dark skin. Alec looked away from Magnus, expression hardening again. He opened his mouth to speak but Magnus beat him to it, spinning to face his half brother.

“Emil, there are sixteen,  _ sixteen _ families planning funerals as of this afternoon. Every single one of them for an individual under twenty five. Mere  _ children _ . And all of it happening smack dab in the middle of  _ my  _ city.” Magnus’ polite expression had turned cold, his voice harsh like brittle glass. "Say what you like of me but your petty grudge is far from my main concern at the moment. But rest assured that as soon as we find the person who committed these crimes, you won’t have to suffer my presence a moment longer. Now. I’ll ask again.” Magnus tipped his chin up, making his way back over to his chair and grabbing his drink as he sat back down. He pinned Emil with an intense stare. “Can you think of anyone or  _ not _ ?”

The younger warlock had gone quiet, his jaw set and magic dissipating slowly as he avoided Magnus’ eyes, having the decency to look mildly apologetic. Alec looked away from him, turning his focus back to his husband in concern.

Magnus’ grip was tight on his drink, shoulders a rigid line against the back of his plush chair as he continued watching Emil. All the carefree relaxation from this morning on the beach was gone, replaced with a furrowed brow that creased his forehead and left him looking tired and worn. 

Alec hated it. 

People liked to say he was a workaholic but he’d never met a person more devoted to giving other people all his time than Magnus Bane. Alec had been perfectly content to ignore the message he’d received from Brightridge earlier in favor of spending more time lounging peacefully on the private beach in the Bahamas, watching his boyfriend hungrily behind the dark lenses of his sunglasses. Unfortunately, the incessant buzzing of his phone had caught Magnus’ attention and, upon reading the message, he had promptly opened a portal home for them. 

Alec wasn’t complaining. He cared about what was happening, of course he did, not only was it senseless murder but it was his  _ job _ to protect these people, but their vacation had been a much needed break for the warlock. 

Magnus had been running himself ragged over the past month, an increasing amount of clients asking for an increasing amount of complicated potions and spells and taking advantage of Magnus’ good nature. Alec regretted the fact that he hadn’t noticed immediately, caught up in rewriting policies for the Institute and trying to shake the Clave off his back all at once. It wasn’t until Magnus started waving him away at bedtime, promising to join him soon but never doing so, and skipping meals in favor of brewing potions, that Alec put his foot down. The next client that came barging into the loft at six in the morning, rousing Magnus from his mere four hours of sleep and barking demands at him, was very nearly tossed off the balcony. An hour later, with Magnus securely back in bed and all other clients turned away before they could so much as knock twice, Alec had cleared both their schedules for two weeks.

And now the situation which pulled them back to New York that hadn’t seemed  _ that _ urgent over text involved the warlock’s only living brother and sixteen murders, for Angel’s sake. 

Alec sighed heavily and checked the clock on the wall. Almost 1 AM. Magnus had been awake since six this morning, eager to start their day of various beach activities after spending the previous one entirely in bed. They’d spent a good hour resting on the beach that afternoon and nineteen hours straight was far from the longest that either man had been up but those facts did nothing to soothe Alec’s worry as he eyed the dark circles beneath Magnus’ eyes.

“Gwendolyn.” Emil said, breaking the silence that had settled on the room. Magnus arched a brow. Emil cleared his throat and straightened up from the wall. “Gwendolyn White. She was a good friend of mine.”

“Was?” Magnus asked.

“She disappeared last year. No explanations. I didn’t question it. She was always flighty and impulsive.” Emil shrugged, beginning to wander around the loft, stopping at some photos of Alec and Magnus with an odd expression on his face.

“And what makes you think she is responsible for this?” 

“Um...she took an interest when I talked about my past. Focused on the magic I used to do. Hated mundanes. Typical bitter immortal.” Emil seemed distracted, still staring at the pictures on the wall. “What is this?” He questioned, pointing at one of the bigger frames.

“That’s...mine and Alexander’s wedding. Why?”

Emil paused before he spoke and when he did, there was a slight hitch to his voice. “No reason.” He cleared his throat, turning back to the pair and reaching up to tie his curls into a ponytail. “Gwendolyn wanted to know why I used demon ichor in spells. I told her I didn’t do that kind of stuff anymore and that it had been a useless dead end anyway. She never came across as a murderer.”

Alec pulled his phone from his pocket, shooting a quick text off the Jace. “I’ll have Jace pull her Clave file, if she has one. See if we can get anything useful. But for now, it’s late.” He cast a pointed glance at Magnus, who rolled his eyes.

“Seems my curfew has finally struck. Emil, you’re welcome to the guest room if you’d like. If you’re not comfortable with that, just don’t go skipping town, hmm?” Magnus stood from his chair, tossing back the rest of his drink and stretching lazily. “Coming, Alexander?” He raised his brows at the man and swept past him without waiting for an answer, headed straight toward the bedroom.

Emil watched, looking amused. He waited for Alec to follow his brother and raised his brows at him when the Shadowhunter stayed put. “Not going to tag along like an obedient little soldier?”

Alec shook his head, exhaling a humorless laugh. Emil’s smile disappeared as Alec walked toward him, his hands clasped politely behind his back and a terse smile on his face.

“I want to make one thing clear, Mr. Whitmore. Your current presence here is a courtesy extended to you by Magnus. If it were up to me, you’d be in the custody of the New York Institute, explaining yourself from the confines of a six by eight foot cell.” Alec took a few slow and deliberate steps closer, stopping and falling into parade rest only two feet shy of Emil, who sneered, pupils thin slits in the middle of his bright eyes. Alec spoke again, voice low and nails digging into the skin of his palms behind his back. “But make no mistake, if you speak to my husband like that again? It won’t make a damn difference whether you’re his family or not.”

Emil didn’t respond, looking over Alec with a scrutinizing expression. A pregnant pause filled the space between them, tension lingering in the air. He glanced back at the photo on the wall.

“You really care about him?”

“More than anything.” Alec responded automatically.

“Alexander?” Magnus called, voice floating in from down the hall. 

“Be right there!” He cast one last confused look in Emil’s direction before turning and heading down the hall without another word.

When he entered the bedroom, Magnus was already dressed down, makeup absent and lounging against the headboard. Alec tugged off his shirt and tossed it aside in the laundry hamper, making his way into the ensuite bathroom. As he brushed his teeth, Magnus spoke up.

“How did threatening my brother go?” He asked, terse, and Alec spit into the sink, debating how to respond. He finished brushing his teeth and rinsed with mouthwash, looking his reflection over in the mirror. He could feel Magnus’ eyes on the back of his neck as he stripped off his jeans and walked back into the bedroom. He blew out a breath, preparing himself as he folded and set them aside. Magnus watched him, jaw flexing as he waited for an answer. Alec finally met his eyes. 

“You can’t let him treat you like that.  _ I’m  _ sure as hell not going to let him treat you like that.”

“I can take care of myself, Alexander.” Magnus responded in a clipped tone.

“Can you?” Alec snapped back. He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth and quickly backtracked. “Wait, that- that didn’t come out right.”

Magnus remained silent, eyes hard. Alec grasped for the correct words, already frustrated with himself.

“What I mean is...you’ve been careless with yourself lately and it worries me. I’m trying to take care of you and it seems like you’re intent on fighting me every step of the way. You  _ never _ turn down a vacation and yet convincing you to take that one was like pulling teeth. And now you’re sitting by while a man you haven’t spoken to in thirty years treats you like garbage-” Alec cut himself off, shaking his head as he began to pace across the floor. “I just don’t get it. It’s like you’re deliberately trying to hurt yourself.” 

Magnus’ silence had Alec freezing in his tracks.

“Magnus…”

“I’m fine, Alexander.”

“You’re not. We’ve been together for almost four years, I know you. And when you’re ready to talk to me...I’m here.” Alec exhaled a sigh and climbed into bed next to Magnus, turning to face toward him as he got comfortable on the pillows. 

Magnus hesitated for a moment before he snapped his fingers and plunged the room into darkness. The blankets rustled and a moment later, a warm hand was slipping into Alec’s, long legs tangling with his beneath the sheets. Alec pulled Magnus closer, and blindly pressed a kiss to his face, lips landing somewhere on the warlock’s cheek.

“You’ll wake me up if you need me?” Alec asked. 

“I always need you.” Magnus responded softly, squeezing his hand. 

“And I’ll always be here.”

 

*************************************

 

When Alec awoke the next morning, the sheets next to him were already cold. He propped himself up on his elbows and frowned, looking around and squinting against the sunlight streaming through the blinds. 

“Magnus?” He called, voice still scratchy with sleep. He slowly dragged himself into a sitting position, stretching his back and once again silently thanking the fact that his husband had luxurious tastes, even in mattresses.

“Yes?” Magnus’ popped his head out of the ensuite bathroom, hair damp and a few water droplets still clinging to his bare chest. Alec pouted.

“You showered without me?”

Magnus snorted softly, wandering out of the bathroom, a towel loosely wrapped around his waist. Alec gave him an obvious once over, earning himself another laugh from his husband.

“My brother is down the hall, darling. So yes, I showered without you."

Alec grumbled at the reminder, tossing the blankets aside and standing up. He made his way toward Magnus, reaching out for him only to have the man give him a fond and exasperated smile and step out of reach. 

“See? Predictably  _ insatiable _ you are, Alexander.” Magnus disappeared back into the bathroom as Alec let out a noise that sounded suspiciously like a whine.

“Magnus, it’s been-”

“Two days?” 

“Three!” Alec corrected, walking over to the dresser and searching through it for a pair of his usual utilitarian black pants. "And we were even on vacation, so why-"

“Insatiable!” Magnus repeated as he passed Alec, heading toward his walk in closet. The Shadowhunter caught him by the waist and spun him around, pressing their bare chests flush together as he slid his hands down to grab Magnus’ ass.

“I’m sure we have some time before-” Alec was cut off by a soft knock at the bedroom door, one that had Magnus patting his cheek gently in apology before pulling away again. Alec rolled his eyes and mumbled something under his breath about ‘cockblocking brothers’ and snapped out a response.

“What?”

“I tracked down Gwendolyn.” Emil’s muffled voice came through the door, sounding bored.

“Be there in a moment!” Magnus called back, magic sparking at his fingers. His hair was perfectly dry in seconds, coiffed and shining. A light line of kohl decorated his eyes, paired with a soft blend of deep blue eyeshadow. He strolled away into his walk in closet, humming as he browsed, hangers clicking together as he searched for the perfect outfit.

Alec pulled a random shirt from the dresser and tugged it on, further ruffling his bed head. He made his way out of the bedroom toward the kitchen, eager to start a pot of coffee as he rubbed the remaining sleep from his eyes.

Angel knows he'll need all the caffeine he can get in order to deal with today.

"Breakfast, darling?" Magnus asked as he entered the kitchen, raising his hands in a preparatory snap. Alec nodded as he fiddled with the coffee machine and moments later, a steaming stack of pancakes appeared on the counter next to him. He grinned and leaned over to kiss Magnus on the cheek.

"How disgustingly domestic." Emil said with a sour look as he stepped into the kitchen. Alec fixed him with an impassive stare as he cut a large bite out of the pancake stack and shoved it into his mouth. He watched Emil boredly as he chewed. Magnus giggled abruptly at the scene, drawing a wildly bewildered look from his brother. He immediately tried to suppress his smile, clearing his throat. 

"Right. You said you found Gwendolyn?"

Emil rolled his eyes. “Harlem. I called around, seen if anyone had heard anything. She’s holed up in a brownstone. I’ve got the address whenever you’re done being…” He gestured between them with one hand, the sour look returning. 

“Darling, did Jace find out anything?” Magnus hummed, stealing Alec’s fork from his hand and eating the bite off of it. Alec didn’t even react and pulled his phone from his pocket, tapping the screen a few times. Magnus offered him more pancakes, waving the fork in front of his husband’s face. Without looking up from his phone, Alec opened his mouth and allowed Magnus to feed him. Across the room, Emil scoffed in disgust. 

“Jace says she’s only 56, no known address, no prior offenses or breaking of the Accords…” Alec trailed off with a shrug as the coffee machine beeped behind him. He turned and grabbed three mugs from the cupboard, ignoring the way Magnus raised a brow at him.

“How do you take your coffee, Mr. Whitmore?” Alec asked without turning around, pouring black coffee into each of the mugs before depositing a large amount of sugar into one of them. 

“...a little cream or milk if you have it.” Emil replied after a long pause, eyeing Alec curiously.

“Of course.” 

Magnus looked between the two of them, eyes narrowing. Alec opened the fridge, pulling out a bottle of creamer and setting it on the counter. “Hazelnut flavored soy milk creamer okay?”

“Uh, yeah.” Emil pushed away from the wall, cautiously making his way across the kitchen to sit at the island. Alec set a steaming mug in front of him a moment later with a curt nod. Emil curled his hands around it and pursed his lips at Magnus, who opened his mouth as if to say something before he seemed to have thought better of it and settled on shaking his head in confusion.

“Here.” Alec held Magnus’  _ ‘M’  _ cup out to him. “One cup of sugar.”

“Just because you like your coffee blacker than your clothes, darling, doesn’t mean my tastes are wrong.”

Alec pressed a kiss to his forehead in response before taking another drink of his coffee and setting the cup aside. “I’m going to go gear up and call Isabelle. See if Jace and Clary are back from patrol so they can join us. I only had them scheduled until 7 but you know how they are.” Alec rolled his eyes and left the kitchen.

Emil waited until he could no longer hear Alec’s footsteps before turning a hard stare on his brother. “What the hell was that?”

Magnus sipped his coffee. “I believe that was called ‘hospitality’.”

“Just last night he was threatening me. Now he’s offering me coffee? And, might I remind you, that hospitality typically comes with a smile? Your ‘little angel’-” Emil mocked, before Magnus cut him off.

“Stop calling him that. And for once in your life, could you maybe accept when people are putting in an effort for you?” Magnus sighed, moving to sit across from his brother at the island. “Alexander is...protective, to put it simply. And you aren’t exactly...kind.”

Emil frowned at him. He tapped the side of his coffee cup, looking uncertain. “About what I said-”

Magnus held up a hand, shaking his head. “I’d rather you not. I don’t want your apologies, Emil, and you don’t want mine. We have our differences, we always have, and clearly, you’re still affected by the way things unfolded all those years ago. I do wish your feelings toward me were different but,” Magnus forced a smile, one that didn’t quite meet his eyes. “Here we are.” 

Emil watched him, silently wondering why his brother wore a glamour even in the privacy of his own home. 

“We ready to go or what?” The heavy sound of boots signaled Alec’s entrance to the kitchen, and both warlocks looked up. The man already had his thigh holster strapped on, seraph blades in place and bow slung over his shoulder.

“Of course, dear.” Magnus stood from the island with a smile, making a show of letting magic dance around his hands dramatically. Alec gave him another fond smile as Magnus strolled past him out of the kitchen, one that had Emil yet again feeling like the two men had forgotten he was there. 

Maybe they had.

“Coming or not?” Alec drawled, pausing in the doorway and glancing back at Emil. 

“What? Oh. Yeah. Be right there.” Emil cleared his throat and ran a hand through his mop of curls as he stood. 

Maybe they hadn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 🤷 Alec Lightwood is thirsty af. Just saying. And a naturally overprotective. And petty.


End file.
